Hi all,

This may have already made the rounds, but I have not yet seen it here.

Enjoy,
 Jeff

============================

Lord of the Rings OS's  (a story)

Recently one of my friends, a computer wizard, paid me a visit. As
we were talking I mentioned that I had recently installed Windows XP
on my PC. I told him how happy I was with this operating system and showed
him the Windows XP CD. To my surprise he threw it into my microwave
oven and turned it on.

Instantly I got very upset, because the CD had become precious to
me, but he said: 'Do not worry, it is unharmed. After a few minutes
he took the CD out, gave it to me and said:' Take a close look at
it.' To my surprise the CD was quite cold to hold and it seemed to be
heavier than before.
At first I could not see anything, but on the inner edge of the
central hole I saw an inscription, an inscription finer than anything
I had ever seen before.

The inscription shone piercingly bright and yet remote, as if out of a
great depth:
12413AEB2ED4FA5E6F7D78E78BEDE820945092OF923A40EElOE5IOCC98D444AA08E324

I cannot understand the fiery letters,' I said in a timid voice. 'No
but I can,' he said. 'The letters are Hex, of an ancient mode, but
the language is that of Microsoft, which I shall not utter here. But
in common English this is what it says:

 One OS to rule them all,
 One OS to find them,
 One OS to bring them all
 And in the darkness bind them.

It is only two lines from a verse long known in System lore:

"Three OS's from corporate kings in their towers of glass, Seven
from valley lords where orchards used to grow, Nine from dotcoms
doomed to die, One from the Dark Lord Gates on his dark throne. In
the Land of Redmond, where the Shadows lie:

 One OS to rule them all,
 One OS to find them,
 One OS to bring them all
 And in the darkness bind them,
 In the Land of Redmond where the Shadows lie..."

 It WANTS to be installed

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